Former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was denied parole on Thursday for his role in a fiery drunken-driving crash that killed a woman in Las Vegas in 2021.
Ruggs, 27, was sentenced to three to 10 years in a Nevada state prison in August 2023 after agreeing to a plea deal in death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor.
He was speeding at more than 150 mph when he collided with her car and tests revealed a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit, according to police reports.
“Mr. Ruggs, and our office, continue to feel the grief and loss suffered by Ms. Tintor’s family,” Ruggs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement on Thursday, adding that they were disappointed by the parole board’s decision to deny parole.
Ruggs will be eligible to appear again before the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners three months before his mandatory parole release date on Aug. 24, 2027, according to ESPN.
During Ruggs’ appearance before the board last month, he said he accepted full responsibility for his actions.
“Not a minute goes by where I don’t think of the pain I caused her family, her friends and the Las Vegas community. I’m a religious person, and I pray for her family daily,” Ruggs said.
Chesnoff asked the board to set aside his client’s celebrity as an NFL player.
“Sometimes being high-profile makes it more of a burden,” Chesnoff said. “And I would most respectfully ask everybody to treat Henry the way they would anybody that comes before them, except for the fact that I think he’s tried to do as much as humanly possible to send a message that his behavior was unacceptable.”
The Raiders released Ruggs one day after the November 2021 crash. He had 50 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games (19 starts) after being selected No. 12 overall in the 2020 draft.
